Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community最新文献

The amount of discarded electronic products (called e-waste) such as printers, monitors, laptops, and their accessories and cables, grows internationally every year. Encouraging and instructing people how to recycle e-waste is necessary for decelerating climate change. Applying the theory of planned behavior, individuals' intent to recycle may vary because of their values, norms, and perceived control. In the present study, 839 adults (430 men, 409 women) completed survey items online through crowdsourcing, offering a representative American sample. Most participants were young and middle-aged (62%) with a bachelor's degree (51%). Hierarchical regression results suggest intent to recycle is predicted partially by our values, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. In the face of a climate crisis, we highlight the importance of fostering positive attitudes toward the environment, normalizing pro-environmental behavior, and offering information on how to engage in pro-environmental behavior like recycling.

This ethnographic study examines the effects of a health-promotion intervention involving orienteering in urban parks for first-year Italian vocational students. Green exercise, known to enhance psychological well-being and foster a sense of kinship with nature and community, was chosen to address risk factors in vocational education and training (VET) institutions. Orienteering offers mental and physical benefits while encouraging participation. This study involved 53 students (mean age 14.51) from a VET institution in Milan, employing interviews with teachers and ethnographic observations. Findings indicate that the intervention promoted group cooperation, reduced conflicts, and helped students develop navigation skills while exploring their city. It also strengthened students' connestion with nature and community spaces, fostering a sense of belonging and engagement.

The relationship between food consumption and sustainability has become increasingly relevant due to the significant environmental impacts associated with global food production and consumption systems. However, more conscious food consumption could generate economic benefits, reduce the release of toxic substances and provide direct health benefits to consumers. In recent years, there has been a change in consumption patterns and a more conscious approach to food choices and environmental impact from citizens, particularly young people. This study focuses on how moving away from home affects the eating habits of university students. Using an online questionnaire and adopting a snowball sampling technique, we collected qualitative responses regarding changes in their eating habits after moving, with the aim of exploring the factors and patterns driving these changes. The findings indicate that the nexus between food and sustainability is a pivotal lens through which to examine the social and cultural transformations currently underway.

Climate crisis represents a challenge for modern communities to be addressed through both individual and collective pro-environmental behaviors (PEB). Therefore, the present study proposes a theoretical model of community-related assets that may promote citizens' engagement in pro-environmental collective and individual PEB. 427 Italian citizens answered an online questionnaire detecting their Sense of Responsible Togetherness (SoRT), Sense of Community (SoC), pro-environmental Civic Engagement Behaviors (CEB), individual PEB, and interest in collective initiatives about the use of renewable energy sources. A multiple sequential mediation model was run using Structural Equation Modeling. The results suggest that SoRT fosters active engagement in pro-environmental collective actions, up to supporting individual PEB. Conversely, a paradoxical effect emerges as to SoC as a disengagement trigger for both individual and collective PEB. Therefore, promoting feelings of responsibility toward one's community may represent a more effective resource than enhancing individuals' affective bond to it to address the climate crisis.

The world is facing a growing climate crisis, with severe impacts on biodiversity, health, migration, and overall well-being. This issue of JPIC presents empirical contributions from the 2024 Summer Institute for Doctoral Students, affiliated with the Italian Community Psychology Association and held in Pinzolo, Italy. It fosters interdisciplinary dialogue on the complex environmental and social challenges affecting communities. Community psychology offers a unique perspective on climate change, focusing on the psychological and relational dimensions of individual and collective well-being. The featured studies examine the mental health impacts of climate change across micro, community, and macro levels, and propose community-based strategies for sustainable development and resilience. Our aim is to contribute to a shared vision of the future, where sustainability and well-being are central to thriving, resilient communities.

Investigating the connection with nature is essential for understanding how young people perceive and engage with their environment. This systematic review aimed to assess the psychological and social science literature on the connection with nature in adolescents and young adults, with the objective of exploring how this connection might impact their development. Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search across multiple databases identified 352 articles in total, with 38 meeting the inclusion criteria. Each article was evaluated for characteristics such as population type, study design, aims, and key findings. Thematic analysis revealed three key areas: pro-environmental behavior, sustainability and connection with nature, the role of technology, and gender differences in connection with nature. The findings suggest that fostering a connection with nature may be a powerful strategy for enhancing youth well-being, while also supporting social integration in diverse and evolving urban settings.

Menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) inequities disproportionately impact communities who are marginalized. In 2018, Illinois passed the Learn with Dignity Act (LWDA) requiring schools to provide menstrual products in bathrooms, yet little is known about its impacts. This evaluation examined LWDA implementation across Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and identified barriers, facilitators, and lessons to inform future MHH policy implementations. A qualitative study was conducted by thematically analyzing interviews with CPS staff (n = 36) from October 2020 - September 2021 in partnership with CPS Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW). Staff reported inadequate LWDA and MHH education and inconsistent menstrual product availability. Structural, systemic, and cultural implementation barriers hindered student access to products and created inequities based on age, gender, and income. Staff investment and student education were implementation facilitators. Staff awareness of policy implementation protocol, student MHH education, and addressing access inequities are key factors for consideration in future policy implementations. Through the WSCC model, these findings demonstrated the importance of strengthening MHH policies and policy implementation to promote student health, well-being, and educational opportunities.

This paper aims to analyze equity in education policies and practices in Southern Spain that ensure cultural competence in services and the inclusion of migrant and racialized students. Our model for defining and analyzing equity in education was adapted from the Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) and includes five dimensions: (E1) equity in mission/goal, (E2) equity in access, (E3) quality/sensitivity of services, (E4) equity in participation, and (E5) development of partnerships and opportunities. Through transformative mixed methods (i.e., documental analysis of 13 policies, 15 interviews with professionals, one focus group with mothers of Afro-descendant students), the results showed that equity was 100% present in the mission/goal of the Andalusian education system, although there were gaps in its practical implementation, especially in participation and quality/responsiveness. These results were discussed and recommendations for improving equity in education policies and practices are proposed participatively.

Anti-Black racism in K-12 education settings has long-term impacts on Black students, including negative academic and mental health outcomes. Limited interventions following experiences of racism shape Black students' expectations of K-12 education, accumulating over time into institutional distrust and these mental health outcomes. As such, it is necessary to understand how Black students experience racism within K-12 settings to better inform interventions that can be implemented at the school level. To that end, this study employed the participatory action research (PAR) method of photovoice to understand the impacts of racism in educational settings among 5 Black women undergraduate students. Results highlight the cumulative effects of racism on identity development and early coping. Implications inform future interventions to address the cumulative effects of anti-Black racism in K-12 education.

In this Special Issue of the Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, Building a Future for Education Equity Interventions, we acknowledge how research more often privileges those who write about it versus those who participate in it. The researchers in this special issue identify as women, people from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, and international scholars. This special issue shares the work of several authors who provide conceptual and empirical findings demonstrating ways to protect young people's dignity and those communities marginalized by race, ethnicity, gender, and ability.